Michigan's first two full recruiting classes under Brady Hoke seemed to have the best of both worlds.

There was quantity and there was quality.

In 2012, Michigan signed a whopping 25-player class that was ranked No. 4 overall by Scout.com. In 2013, the Wolverines upped both those numbers, netting a 27-man class that ended up No. 2 on Scout's final team rankings list.

But with the heavy numbers of both of those previous classes, and a relatively small level of attrition, Michigan's 2014 group was never going to be overly large.

And so, Michigan's current 16-man class -- ranking No. 25 on Scout's list -- may seem meager on both levels. But in reality, it isn't.

"I think people are going to immediately look at the ranking and look at last year, being No. 2 on our site and top 5 a lot of places and then you look at this year, and they're a bit lower," Scout.com's Midwest Football Recruiting Manager Allen Trieu said this week. "People then immediately say the class isn't as good.

"But (in reality), the class is just smaller. The talent level, per kid, is still just as high."

The Wolverines also needed to address the lack of overall athletic ability in their defensive backfield.

They did so with one player.

"They needed help in the defensive backfield, and you don't get any better than (five-star cornerback) Jabrill Peppers," Trieu said. "He was a monster get, and a kid who is going to pay big dividends right away."

But while Michigan was able to address areas of concern at wide receiver, defensive back and defensive tackle (Bryan Mone, 6-foot-4, 316), the Wolverines do appear headed into Signing Day on Wednesday without a running back.

At least at the moment.

Michigan had extended late offers to both four-star back Jeff Jones and three-star back Marlon Mack.